Homecoming
by Serosa
Summary: In the end, Captain Kuchiki of the sixth division had made sure everyone under his command made it back. Oneshot, Halloween fic, death fic.


**Bleach is an area I haven't tried yet. But I've had this image in my mind for some time now and thought; "What the heck. Let's try it."**

**Homecoming**

"_Sir, there's a distress call from the sixth division we sent to __Karakura! The hollows are more than anticipated. Vice-Captain Abarai has been badly injured."_

"_Open a gate back. Tell them to retreat."_

The sixth division soul reapers marched through Gotei 13. They were injured, many leaning for support, barely able to keep walking, yet none asked for help or even expected any. The sixth division were proud, and took example from their Captain.

The Captain walked slowly, limping with every step. The white of his robe was soiled with blood and dirt. How much of it was his own seemed impossible to say. Exhaustion lay etched in every inch of the once stern face and clutched protectively in his arms was the sixth division Vice-Captain.

To those who saw the division return it was impossible to say whether the redhead was alive or not. The Vice-Captain's eyes were closed; he did not move nor react to anything. Many could swear he didn't even breathe. Still Captain Kuchiki carried his second in command without a word. At times when the Captain stumbled and someone would step forward to help, they would be granted a long glare promising immediate suffering should they not back away.

And so, not one attempted to stop the wounded divisions march.

"_Sir… sir! We lost contact with the entire division!"_

"_Did they manage to enter the gate?"_

"_I don't know, sir."_

Something recognizable as pain flashed over Kuchiki's features and the Captain stopped to catch his breath. The limp body nearly slipped from his arms. The rest of the sixth division paused as well, waiting to see if their Captain would faint or continue. Then, with some difficulty, the black-haired noble readjusted his grip on the redhead and continued walking unsteadily. A small cough escaped past the pale lips, accompanied by a thin trail of blood.

Shinigami of all divisions froze when the macabre parade walked past them, heading towards the fourth's healing barracks. Some turned their eyes away, unable to watch. Others looked on with mixed pity, sorrow and fear.

Whispers began circling the men and women. The further the parade walked the more certain the onlookers became. Abarai Renji was dead without doubt. How could anyone look so torn and broken, and still survive? Then why, why in the name of all that was holy, did Kuchiki Byakuya still carry the man with him?

"_Send a retrieval team."_

"_Yes sir!"_

Someone fell over, unable to continue any further. The sixth division Captain stopped and waited, not turning to see who had fainted, but not continuing his way either. Two other from the sixth hefted up the unconscious one between them and Kuchiki continued walking. Some curious reapers began following the slowly moving group with a new sense of respect. Despite refusing help from anyone, Captain Kuchiki was still making sure his entire squad would make it.

Word had begun to spread. Captains and Vice-Captains appeared on the scene. Some called out for the noble but the Kuchiki heir ignored them completely. Vice-Captain Kira made a strangled sound and ran forwards, fully intending to check on the unconscious redhead's condition. A look from the sixth's Captain stopped the blond in his tracks, and he stood there, shaking, unable to move, as the division marched past him.

The anger in Kuchiki's eyes… Kira could have sworn he saw his own death in those dark eyes. Suddenly drained of all strength, the Vice-Captain of the third division sank to the ground.

"_S-sir… we received a message from the retrieval team. It's… it's not good."_

Captain Unohana was waiting at the steps of the fourth division barracks, word having reached there long before the sixth division. If she was at all shocked by the state of the returning soul reapers, she did not show it. Instead she smiled in response to the look Kuchiki was giving her. Though the Sixth division Captain did not speak, Unohana seemed to understand what the dark eyes wished to say.

"Don't worry. We'll do our best," she assured him. An almost inaudible sigh of relief was heard, and Kuchiki visibly relaxed. Unohana moved out of the way to allow the sixth division to enter.

However, the moment Captain Kuchiki stepped up onto the porch he was gone, taking the redhead in his arms with him. One by one, following their Captain's example, the members of the sixth division disappeared.

"_Sir…__ the retrieval team… they say that they found the entire sixth division. They're all dead, sir."_

Many decades later, the event was still spoken of. Captains would tell their divisions, shinigami would tell each other. It was said that, despite appearing cold and arrogant, Kuchiki Byakuya, former Captain of the sixth division, had made sure everyone under his command had made it home.

**Happy Halloween.**


End file.
